The Barking Lothttp://www.thebarkinglot.net
Thu, 26 Feb 2015 03:39:27 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1Find Your Soul-Mutt/Sweethound Soireehttp://www.thebarkinglot.net/general/soul-mutt
http://www.thebarkinglot.net/general/soul-mutt#commentsFri, 30 Jan 2015 16:10:26 +0000http://www.thebarkinglot.net/?p=9246After decades of intensive research, experimentation and devoted viewing of old episodes of “The Dating Game,” The Barking Lot has developed the perfect questionnaire to help match you with your “Soul-Mutt!” Curious which of TBL’s temporary barkers would make your ideal “Sweethound” this Valentine’s Day? Just make a $5 donation below, then submit your responses to these 11 simple questions & almost as fast as you can say, “Be mine, my darling canine” you’ll have your answer!

Heron is a happy ball of energy with his puppy kisses and playfulness. Heron’s adorable dwarfed legs are short and silly looking like the Basset Hound is famous for. However, his chunky body and big head combined with his little legs, make him the perfect size for anyone wanting the best of both worlds- a big dog look with a medium dog’s body!

Heron is crate trained and potty trained and sleeps well at night either cuddled up beside you in your bed (which he loves…) or in a soft bed in a crate by your bed. Heron is easy-going and flexible…and just loves to be near you. Don’t let his little legs fool you either, he is a great hiking or running partner. His happy energy will motivate you to go farther and faster. But after that nice hike or run, you will see him lay quietly by your feet snoring away as you work on the computer or watch TV.

Heron is wonderful around other dogs and would be a great addition to any adopter that has another playful dog or dogs. He is also great at dog parks and dog-friendly bars and restaurants.

So what are you waiting for? Heron is ready, willing and able to be your best friend starting today!

]]>http://www.thebarkinglot.net/general/staff-pick-heron/feed0Kong Christmas 2014http://www.thebarkinglot.net/general/kong-christmas-2014
http://www.thebarkinglot.net/general/kong-christmas-2014#commentsThu, 04 Dec 2014 19:58:26 +0000http://www.thebarkinglot.net/?p=8455This the season of giving! Here at The Barking Lot, we like to make the holidays as special as we can for our recruits while they patiently wait for their forever families. This is your chance to play Santa’s helper and give a pup (or pups) a present. Just pick your pooch, pick your Kong, pick your stuffing, and make a $10 donation per dog. Then, revel in their joy as TBL volunteers prep your pup’s Christmas present. All pups will be photographed for an ornament on The Barking Lot’s office Christmas tree.

]]>http://www.thebarkinglot.net/general/kong-christmas-2014/feed056 Dogs Adopted in March!http://www.thebarkinglot.net/adopted-dogs/56-dogs-adopted-march
http://www.thebarkinglot.net/adopted-dogs/56-dogs-adopted-march#commentsThu, 17 Apr 2014 17:59:00 +0000http://www.thebarkinglot.net/?p=6570The Barking Lot adopted out 56 of their dogs in March! Here are a few of the newly barked:
]]>http://www.thebarkinglot.net/adopted-dogs/56-dogs-adopted-march/feed0Dolly’s Lobbyhttp://www.thebarkinglot.net/general/4947
http://www.thebarkinglot.net/general/4947#commentsMon, 26 Aug 2013 23:31:49 +0000http://www.thebarkinglot.net/?p=4947As we grieve the loss of Dolly, we’ve pondered how to best pay tribute to our soulful girl. Seeing as the lobby is where most of us remember her goofy prance and sweet smile, we realized the remodeling and renaming of that room seemed most fitting. If Dolly, or her story, touched you in any way and you’d like to contribute to Dolly’s Lobby, please visit here for more details: Dolly’s Lobby or click the box below to donate now.

This week is our dog’s one year adoption anniversary so we wanted to share an update on how he’s doing. His shelter name was Fiesta, as he’d been found abandoned on Fiesta Island – but now his name is Otis!He has really come a long way since the timid dog we met last August, he’s come out of his shell and has much less anxiety. He is great with new people and new situations. He loves exploring dog parks and the beach, cuddling up with his toys at home, and he’s quick to learn new tricks (especially when cheese is involved).We just adore him, and wanted to say thank you again for helping Otis get this second chance at a happy life.

I have been her foster twice now for a total of about 6 months and she is a sweet, fun, loving and energetic puppy. She loves to play outside, go to the park or the beach and her favorite thing ever is chasing a ball (she is getting better at letting go of it, but it is still a work in progress!).

She is a mix of Jack Russell Terrier and Beagle with maybe some German Shepherd thrown in and she is very cute with one ear that flops down. She does have a lot of energy and can’t wait to play when you get home. She enjoys sitting outside in the sun, on her bed or by the front door watching people go by. She is great in the house and has not had an accident since I have had her the second time (about 4 months). She rarely barks, doesn’t chew things she is not supposed to and only gets up on the couch when I let her. She is a pretty good cuddler and she likes to stretch out on the couch or nestle herself next to you.

She does well on a leash and I have been working with her to walk next to me. She does get excited still when she sees other dogs, but she is friendly and listens to commands when it is time to move on. I occasionally walk her without a leash and I have taken her hiking off leash and have not had any issues with her. She is still young, about 20 months old I think, and she has grown to her full size (about 35-40 lbs), so she is a medium size dog. She is a great dog and I have enjoyed the time I have spent with her, but since I am moving over seas I can’t continue to keep her. I hope that we can find a permanent home home for her with a family that will love and appreciate her.

]]>http://www.thebarkinglot.net/general/volunteer-favorite-miele/feed1Fritz the Fabulous Fosterhttp://www.thebarkinglot.net/volunteer/fritz-fabulous-foster
http://www.thebarkinglot.net/volunteer/fritz-fabulous-foster#commentsMon, 05 Aug 2013 19:06:03 +0000http://www.thebarkinglot.net/?p=4702I did not grow up with dogs. Through the years, I had many 10-cent goldfish, a suicidal hamster, and a few aloof cats that were only interested in human interaction if said human was attached to a can of food or carton of milk (and in one particularly odd case, a jar of peanut butter). I loved them all like family, but I never knew the unconditional love of “man’s best friend” until I met and later married Scott, a man who came complete with a dopey, beautiful, loyal chocolate lab named Molson. Molson quickly became just as much my dog as his, and when we lost him at the ripe old age of 15 1/2, we cried together, shocked at the depth of our devastation. Scott swore off having another dog as quickly as I craved a canine companion to fill the void, so we compromised and I went to volunteer my time at The Barking Lot.

After my very first event, I started dropping hints about the abundant supply of amazing dogs just waiting for forever homes. My hints fell on deaf ears until an email popped up seeking fosters for a husky/mastiff puppy. Scott was a sucker for the combo but by the time I responded, someone else had Mighty Moused in and saved the day. The foundation had been poured, though, and when a last minute chow/german shepherd mix needed a dog-free place to cool his heels while recovering from kennel cough, Scott couldn’t say no. Fast forward two months later, sticking to my promise that Fritz would “only be a foster” (unless Scott changed his mind). We received an adoption application for the furry beast for a home in East County and the home check was encouraging. I excitedly relayed the news to Scott and was met with “East county??! He can’t go to East County! It’s way too hot there!” He was hooked and we were officially “foster failures” the next day, stopping to pick up a nametag with our address on our way to The Barking Lot with our adoption check.

While we may have failed at fostering by becoming a forever home, I learned a lot from our brief but rewarding foray in the world of fostering (we’ve since determined that Fritz is a one-dog house kind of pup, limiting our ability to continue fostering, though we’re working on it):

1. The people who volunteer their time, money, homes, and talents to save animals are among the most selfless I’ve met, for they are the ones who fight for the creatures who have no voice.
2. There is no rhyme or reason to why people abandon animals, and those animals deserve a chance. I’ve had many people ask whether we were nervous to bring a “strange” animal into our home. While it’s true that you don’t know the personality, habits, or demeanor of a rescue animal, you don’t know anything more about an animal purchased from a breeder or store. I’ll admit to having some reservations – but what was the worst that would happen? He’d ruin a rug or rip up a shoe? These are just things and they are irrelevant when you look into the eyes of an animal who knows you’re his person.
3. It takes a village. It’s a village worth joining.
4. You can’t save them all and that is a heartbreaking fact at times. But for every animal that finds refuge in a foster home, at least one more can be saved.
5. When your partner declares “I will never let the dog sleep in the bed”, you should probably get a bigger bed.

Our loss led to opening our home to a new love, and we’ve never been more proud to fail at something.

by Erin Barker

]]>http://www.thebarkinglot.net/volunteer/fritz-fabulous-foster/feed3Maxie: Tami’s Staff Pickhttp://www.thebarkinglot.net/staff-pick/dog-for-adoption-maxie
http://www.thebarkinglot.net/staff-pick/dog-for-adoption-maxie#commentsWed, 22 May 2013 06:12:23 +0000http://www.thebarkinglot.net/?p=3981Maxie has been my house-guest several times now and is one of my favorite TBL temporary barkers. When I first brought Maxie home, he immediately made friends with my 4 pretty difficult/dominant dogs. His submissive, playful and easy going attitude won my dogs over, as well as anyone else that met him. In no time Maxie was even getting the older dogs to feel playful. Don’t let Maxie’s playfulness fool you though, he is one of the best cuddlers and lap dogs I’ve seen also. Maxie is so content just laying in your arms or snoring on your lap. We often brought him with us places since he is so well-behaved. He sat snuggled in our sweatshirt while we worked on the computer and/or went out to breakfast. When I fell asleep on the hammock in the yard, Maxie was right there to snuggle into my arm pit and fall fast asleep with me.

Remarkably, Maxie is crate trained and at first he slept the whole night without a peep in his crate. He went right outside in the am for his morning bathroom routine. After a few days, I couldn’t resist letting him sleep in the bed and waking up next to him in my arms with his sweet morning kisses and puppy breath! Maxie is potty trained and walks good on a leash. Overall he is a joy to have around and you will fall madly in love with him in a day. Fill out an adoption application or foster application today!

]]>http://www.thebarkinglot.net/staff-pick/dog-for-adoption-maxie/feed2Dog Communications: Knowing the Signs of a Stressed Puphttp://www.thebarkinglot.net/tips-tricks/dog-communications-knowing-the-signs-of-a-stressed-pup
http://www.thebarkinglot.net/tips-tricks/dog-communications-knowing-the-signs-of-a-stressed-pup#commentsTue, 07 May 2013 16:13:53 +0000http://www.thebarkinglot.net/?p=3879Q: My dog keeps yawning when we are at the local dog park. I thought it was because he was board and tired but my friend says that yawning means he is stressed. Who is right?

A: Dogs communicate constantly with us and each other but most of the times we miss what they are saying. Below are examples of behavior a dog shows when they are uncomfortable (your friend is right about the yawn!) None of these signals happen in a vacuum so you must look at the rest of the dog (body posture, tail, head, eye contact) in order to properly interpret what the dog is trying to tell you.

Signs to look for that means a dog is stressed:

Yawning – A common way for dogs to relieve stress, not just when ready for a nap.

Teeth chattering – Seen both when dogs are stressed or highly aroused with excitement (ie right before play). Take into account the look and demeanor of the entire dog before deciding on which case you are dealing with.

Lip Licking –With no treat in sight, tongue curls up and licks front or side lips to signal stress.

Tongue Flicking -Tongue comes straight out then flicks up to touch nose or air which signals submission or a desire to have you closer.

Whale Eye- Dog exposes the white of his/her eyes. This is a distance increasing signal and should be respected as such since it is often followed by a bite. Move away immediately!

“The Freeze”- This is defined by a momentary “freeze” of all body movements. It is often accompanied by a hard stare or held breath and is another distance increasing signal that should not be ignored. Move away immediately!

Pacing – Constant walking in circles or back and forth. Indicates a inability to settle and is therefore a sign of stress.

Excessive Shedding-If a dog suddenly starts shedding large amounts of hair (you will almost see a cloud of fur coming off the dog) means the dog is under extreme stress.

For more information on learning body language, a great video to watch is The Language of Dogs by Sarah Kalnajs.